Heaviest onion: Peter Glazebrook breaks own world record Harrogate, UK -- Retired building surveyor and gardener Peter Glazebrook, 68, of Halam, near Newark, set a new record for the world's heaviest onion for the second year in a row at the Harrogate Autumn Flower Show; his giant onion tipped the scales at 18lbs 1oz at the weigh-in at the show,
breaking his previous best by almost 2oz. and setting the new world record for the Heaviest Onion,
according to the World Record Academy: www.worldrecordacademy.com/.

Photo: Peter Glazebrook with his world record breaking onion that weighed in at 18lbs 1oz at the Harrogate Autumn Flower Show. Photo: John Giles (enlarge photo)

The Guinness world record for the heaviest onion was set by an onion weighing 7.495 kg (16.52 lb), which was grown by John Sifford (UK) of Halesowen, West Midlands, UK.

Guinness World Records also recognized the world record for the longest onion cake, which measured 27 m (88 ft 6 in) and was made by Hans-Dieter Slobodkin and members of the Dürrmenz-Bäcker bakery (Germany) in Mühlacker, Germany.

Mr. Glazebrook has held a total of ten world records during his 30 years of gardening, but he said he had been trying to secure the onion record for 25 years up until last year.

Speaking of this year's success, the retired chartered surveyor, from Halam, near Newark, said: "It was such a surprise. I didn't expect it at all. I had weighed it at home but you never know how much it is going to weigh once it is trimmed of its leaves and roots and weighed by officials at the show. I had a feeling it was close but when we found out it was over the record, well I was very pleased."

Revealing some of the secrets of his success, Mr Glazebrook said: "The main reason I'm getting bigger onions I think is that I grow them in large pots rather than in the garden soil now. I use a different compost and also have to carefully manage the light and temperature."

Mr Glazebrook currently holds three world records for heaviest potato, heaviest parsnip, and longest beetroot.